1. Field
The described technology relates generally to a rechargeable battery that has a cell fuse in a lead tab.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rechargeable battery can repeatedly perform charge and discharge, unlike a primary battery which can only be discharged once. A rechargeable battery of a small capacity is used for a small portable electronic device like a mobile phone or a laptop computer and a camcorder, and a rechargeable battery of a large capacity is used as a power source for driving a motor of a hybrid vehicle and an electric vehicle.
For example, the rechargeable battery typically includes an electrode assembly that performs charge and discharge operations, a case that houses the electrode assembly and an electrolyte solution, a cap plate that is coupled to an opening portion of the case, and a lead tab that electrically connects the electrode assembly to an electrode terminal.
In a rechargeable battery cell, a lead tab forms a cell fuse between a portion that is connected to an electrode assembly and a portion that is connected to an electrode terminal. For example, because a cell fuse is formed in a current passage having a small area, a periphery of the cell fuse has lower heat dissipating characteristics.
In a high current area such as an external short circuit of a rechargeable battery, because an operation time in which a cell fuse is cut is short, the cell fuse is less affected by heat. However, in a low current area, because an operation time in which a cell fuse is cut is long, the cell fuse is largely affected by heat.
In a low current area, due to deterioration of heat dissipating characteristics of a lead tab and a cell fuse, operation time of the cell fuse is excessively shortened, and thus a cell fuse may be cut earlier than a pack fuse that interrupts a current of an entire rechargeable battery pack. In this case, the rechargeable battery cell should be replaced.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.